Fur sliver



Ot. 24, L. P. MILLER FUR SLIVER Original Filed June 12, 1940 5 Sheets-Sheet l ATTOR/YE R O T m V m a iiA i w bpz Oct; 24, 1944. I P. MILLER 3 L FUR SLIYER Original Filed June 12, 1940 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 gig? 144 RM 51 5 s #550 M50164 Ms/w N mum. my!

4 v a a q ATTO/t/ Oct. 24, 1944. MlLLER 2,361,309

FUR SLIVER Original Filed June 12, 1940 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR.

Zozzz'r B Miller V W Mum hi/J ATTOR/VE .s

Oct. 24, 1944. P. MILLER 2,361,309

FUR SLIVER Original Filed June 12, 1940 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 IN VENTOR.

u w MA fiozzzirE/Ifz'Z/ar v WWW-u jmn ATTORW y;

textile or fur material to be thrown by the picker cylinder against the lower portion of the screen drum 6 from which-the material is deposited on the upper run of the conveyor belt I. The screen drum 6 is rotated in such manner that the peripheral speed thereof is substantially the same as the'forwardtravel of the conveyor belt '1. The construction just described is repeated a number of times, for example, four times, withinthe housing I which comprises an enclosedchamber for all the units or stages of said mechanism. Preferably, th upper portion of the housing i0 is connected by ducts ll (one only being shown) with the lower portion of the housing in such manner as to permit an interchange V r thick. These bands were spaced apart substantially one inch between the bands and were apprbximately eighty-four'inches from center of anchorage anchorage.

In the construction herewith illustrated, the

individual bands comprise loops of one continof air currents from the upper to the lower part of the housing without establishing undesirable eddy currents.

The last stage of the lap forming machine is. different from the preceding stages in that a longer conveyor apron l2 receives the fur from the screen drum 14, (which drum may be the same-in size and form as the screen drums 6), and delivers the lap to the sliver forming mechanism.

' The screen drum [4 and the apron [2 are driven through variable speed mechanism [5, which is also a divergence from the preceding stages of-the lap forming mechanism, in order that the speed of movement of the material-com.-

ing from the last stage of the lap forming machine may be increased or decreased, relative 'to the speed of movement of the material through the other stages of this machine in order to provide a thick or thin lap according to the wishes of the operator. The space between the portion of the conveyor apron l 2 adjacent the periphery of the screen drum l4 and the screen drum [4 is such that the drum applies a very slight pressure to the material comprising the lap that is conveyed forward by the conveyor belt I2. This conveyor apron l2 should preferably be made of material to which the textile material, such as fur, does not adhere. A cloth apron covered or impregnated with rubber composition and coated with a flexible lacquer, all

of which is well known in the art, is satisfactory for this use.

This apron 12 passes over a driven roll 16 in an inclined upward direction through an opening I! in the housing 10 over a supporting roll l8 to a pair of adjustable rolls I9 and 20. The rolls l9 and 20 are adjustable vertically in order to control the angle at which the lap is presented to the roving forming machine C. The apron l2 continues beneath the bed of the roving or sliver iorming machine C over a return driven roll 2|, and back to the roll l6 through an opening 23 in the housing I. The rolls 20 and 2| are adjustable beneath the bed of the roving forming machine C in order to control the distance between thisbed and the conveyor apron [2, the purpose of which will be explained more specifically in .connection with the description of the operation of the roving forming machine.

The roving forming machine C comprises a bed of stretched steel bands 22 set edgewise to the vertical in such manner as to comprise a bed in the form of a grating extending substantially the width of the conveyor belt [2. These steel bands uous steel band. v The end of this band is anchored at. ;to a steel frame 25, preferably made ofI-beams ois'ufficient strength for the purpose intended, and is then looped around cylindrical tension bars 26 (see Figs. 1b and 4) and continues over a plurality of these bars to the ter- :minal anchorage i212": The-terminalanchorage -2'Iisialso providedaon the steel frame 25. The

anchorages 12.4. and-21. .fix the iband in-position. so that tension thereon may be'produced by means of the tensionc-nuts-x28 which force the tension .bars .outwardlyai-onethe tensionstub bolts. 29. While the "continuous :band ishereinshown, it is to be understood individual bands'may besatisfactorily used-:2, Z Hie-1:2 v

A :pair .:of vib1'-ation :i1ods :30 .and 3|" (see Figs. 3. and wfi) :"ext'end crosswise :Iof .the :bed of: the.- machine above. andtibelow the bands "22.1w These vibration :rodsv. aresiprovided with bands engaging memberssfl which mayrcomprise aapai'r-ofawash: ers having anz ellipticalwopening 1- so ihSjftD! be adjusted crosswise eotsthe'. vibrationv rods-,sand': to

engage the edges: otlithetbandsrn at-Tone 1-point i'so that the' ban'd sissfreertoltvibrate onxea'chcside of that pointi-tcThei-eason for: the crosswise adjustment of the members 32 is to adjust theselmembets totake care of ian'y irregularity :of: the edges of the bands 22l which may'orzmay not all lie in a-common" planei After themembers 32are properly adjusted; both htransversely: and vertically,

- they are clamped imposition byztlo'ck-nuts 34 on vibration rods: 30? and 3I-.i-: At'asuitable intervals, tension 'springs35.-extend between the vibration rods 3ll airdn3l'itd'tlraw. theserods' together so that the -membe'rs' 32 'are held in intimate contact-withathe edges ofthe steel.bands 22. As is 'illu'str'ated in Fig-. 10, 1-the position :of the rods 30 and 3 l may:- be changed i as 'I desired.

-The"=vibration rod- 30is'connect'ed with a. Synright tends to pull the vibration rod 30 toward the vibrator, the vibrator 31'0'11 the left likewise tends to pull the tension rod 3| toward thevibrator tame-rem; thus twisting th bands by means of establishing a turning movement around'the neutral axis ofthe bands. Preferably, the electrical circuit-connecting the Syntron'vibrators is in accordance with the diagram-in Fig. '9 herewith. Since the symbols of the'diagram-will be clear to those skilled'in the electrical art, further description 'is -bel'ieved'not to be necessary of this feature of the device. t

In order to-eontrol the character of the twist to the sliver or'roving, it'is-desirable to tension one edge of certain bandsdifierently from the other edge. Such variable tensioning raises. or lowers with the band.

hound-satisfactory for the purposes desired} or Tong v. characteristics. "These w'eights as' illustrated are v course; "it isto' -be =understood that the effeet destliindPiS closed cause it' might berpossibleby hang-meta ight en the bmdto' 'p'roduce undesirable I approximatel threeinehes in 'length.

Fi isa diagrammatic"*view-"sirnilar to 'that *shdwn m'Fig." 11 and illustratesthe effective os- 'c i'l-l ation' of the bands with the low'eredges bf aL ternate banfds tensionewto a higher degree than the upperred'ges thereof whereby' the axis Z *of these differentially t'ens'ioned bands 22-0 is-moved below the axis X'of'the'evenlytensioned' bands Itis'also'tobe"understoodthat the amo'untof ,15 ""M a. This-type of"tensioningmamely, 'withthe torsion" or"ttvist sh'own'in'iig. llis greatly exagi'nvennon. "It "is to'befunderstood that-the "ainduntof "oscillation indicated in'Fig. 11 is on a "cross section taken substantially midway between the vibrating rods 30 and 3| and the forward end or the machine where the bands have afmore individual'freedomfof' rnovement than is per- "mitte'd'where the'vibra'tingfrods'tfl and 3 I connect The" condition illustrated by 11 f with the normaI'aXisX below the unevenly tensionedband aXisY is'a"'condition'which is particularly desirable"whre"the' lapis fed to-the'bandsrfrom the lower' edges "tensienew' greater than i theupper edges is desirable where' 'the lap is fed; to the b'ottom of the-band tableandis carried upoward-between the bands f or treatment.

1 The "inclination 6f -the= 'stee1-bazid bed 130' the "horizontal is-prferably about "15. ""lhis-inclinan *tion may be "adjustable in order 130* obtain further control of the material passing -throughthe roving maker.-" The adjustable driving r011 2| for ,25 the aproriltislocatedslightly beyondthecen- *ter of the steel band table as-"measured between the positionof thewi-brating rods and 3 land the uppentensioningmembers 'ofthe table, the

roll 2| being -positioned=nearer to the" vibrating upperedges' thereof. Inthiscoriditi'on, thereis-30 rods than to the upper-ends or the bands. *The "atendency of the bands to throw down the material'of' the'lap' and hold'itwithin the zones-"of "oscillation produced by the differential tension.

' Preferably, an apro'msa' is mounted above the 'rovings-are taken from'thesteel bands adjacent the-rolleri'l by means' of pairspf conveyor belts 42'an'd 44, there being one p'air of conveyor belts -for each -roving; oryfor ea'ch -space between the vibrating bancls'with the "lower run thereof moV--;Z5 bands-22.

'ing in the same'direction as the apron 12' beneath the bands. Theapron38 acts more especiallyas "acovering"member which; to a" substantial extent, retains the vibrated 'air between the bands Th'ese pairs of conveyor bel-ts' fl fl attheir outer ends alternate in upper and lower positions for conveying "the roving 1 to ""the' condenser D, "which is constructed in the-511sual manner with and thereby allows] the material between thC g UppBrand 1o sba f condenser ism bands to'be' subjectedboth by' the me'chanical -impact ofthe vibrating'bands against the mate- "rial andby the air-currents produced between'the "bandsby' the vib'rationthereof."

Thecharacterofthe oscillation or the bands to make these rovings or slivers-mayalso be controlled by weights" 39 illustrated in Fig; 7 7 These weightscomprise'splitbolts made from half roundsof brassor othermetal '(Figs. 7- and 8) V and are held'inplace" by nuts" 40 and 4| which clamp on-jeach'side' ofthe bands '22. v The major f' portion'of the weight 40' may be above the band, as illustrated in Fig. '7,"or the weights may be '50 adjusted as to'present'the major portion of the "(weight-belowthe-band;asin Fig. 8. It is underj stood that these half roundsare screw threaded "throughout their length and by adjusting the --nuts49 and-M- on the screw threads, the center *of-"inass of theiweightsmay bepositioned trans- "versely of thebands 'in any position desired. f Where the center of mass of the weights is moved toward -onesideof theband; the axisof oscillation of the*band moves*toward'theopposite side, while the amplitude'of the edge oftheband 'towardwhich the center of mass has been moved,- "*willbe increased. For -fexample; 'as illustrated in Fig. '7; the axis 0f--0'scillation 0f theband will be moved downwardly -as at M while where the weight- 'is" largely beneaththe band; the axis of oscillation will be moved upwardlyas at N. The Vibration bf? the bands Y may also i be substantially 1 varied by' setting'theweights at difierent positions "1""e1ativ'e to the lengthsof the bands.

, These:weights -are not excessive in size Fand "in 'standard-machine inth'e textile art knownas the Barker Rubb -condens'er. If the condensing action of 'oneun'it o-f condenser is not sufiici'entfor the purpose-desired; the rovings maybe conduct- 55. Preferablygallof these'rolls are driven in 551 of which trav'el "'at sub'stantialli the same speed in orderfto' carry the' roving forward with-the sleast amount of disturbance. Preferably, "each 'pair cf "conveyorlbelts '42-; '44 is separated from the adjacent pairs of't'conveyor-:beltssby means of oo separationdiscs56;51, 58, 59am to. "Thesese'paration discs perform two "functions; first, of mainproper positions and secondly of preventing any .sli-ghteportion of fur: from I overlapping "between adjacent"'conveyoribelts; These separatio-n discs f're'volve these discsfthe. shafts carryingithe discs '70-:may be rotated. --In producing-these articles I of manufacture by v V the preferred mechanism; the fur or other ma- "-terial' is fed into the'weighing machine A which feeds, predetermined E amounts of. materials per .zzpr'actiee 'quarterli-neh br'ass half-irounds have: been agiven: periodzo'f" time tother lap forminglmachine 1 fibrous material.

ters the vibrating band table, it is divided into 1 longitudinal strip corresponding to the spaces between the vibrating bands.

' band table.

B. The last stage of the lap forming machine B being adjustable as to speed of the conveyor belt l2 and the screen M, the Operator may the band table and also to determine the space between the upper run of the belt l2 andthe underneath edges of the bands 22. The space between the bands 22 and the upper run of the conveyor apron l2 preferably is wedge shaped between the rollers 2| and with the base of the Wedge adjacent the roller 20. As the lap is brought into the influence of the vibrating bands as it is carried over the roller 20, the vibrations of the bands, providing theyare set in accordance with the diagrammatic tensioning scheme illustratedin Fig. 12, tends to pick up the lap from the conveyor belt and to separate it into longitudinally extending bodies which lie between adjacent vibrating bands. The position of the roller 2| relative to the maximum oscillation or vibration of the bands (which normally occurs adjacent the mid portion of the free vibrating part of the bands) is of some importance, in that there .is a tendency of the material to move downwardly toward the zone of .to the condenser To this end, rollers 45 and 49- carrying the pairs of conveyor belts 42 and 44 are placed closely adjacent to the roller 2| so that the roving leaving the belt l2 as it passes over roller 2| is immediately picked up by the conveyor belts 42 and 44 which carry the roving tothe condenser.

The material comes into the vibrating band table from the belt l2 in substantially a fiat loose lap of material-the fibers extending in different directions as a miscellaneous mass of As soon as the material en- The vibrating bands strike portions of the material as a me- ;chanical action and the vibration-of the bands creates air currents.

indicated diagrammatically in Figs. 11 and 12,

With the bands tuned as these air currents apparently tend to rotate or swirl somewhat with the axis of rotation of the air currents extending longitudinally of the The result of the mechanical action of the bands and of therotating air currents on the loose material is to tend to orient individual fur fibers or other short fibers so that the majority of these fibers extend longitudinally of the mass of material between the vibrating bands. This orientation of the fibers maybe also brought about by the movement of -.the fiber mass lengthwise of the bands while maximum vibration, and beyond this point there the fibers are suspended in a. more or less free state, and such movement tends to draw the fibers into a position substantially parallel to the direction of movement.

In making these slivers or rovings by the mechanisms specified, the various factors operating upon the fibers are extremelycomplex and the foregoing theory is offered as an explanation of the result obtained, which is that as the rovings leave the sliver maker machine, the loose mass of material which entered into the sliver maker has been compacted into masses known in the art as rovings or slivers. These rovings are carried from the roving making machine C to the condenser D where the usual condensing action is applied to the rovings and as the rovings leave the condenser, they are sufiiciently compacted to .be wound on spools 62 or otherwise packaged as an article of manufacture for use in the textile art to which such rovings are adapted.

When composite fur slivers have been heretofore made by carding, as for example, by use of machines such as are referred to in patent to Lownes et al., 2,064,761, December 15, 1936, the fibers are broken and stretched or in otherwords, seriously damaged because of the action of the card wires in tearing through the mass. In accordance with the present invention the fibers are not torn or broken so that the fibers retain their natural length and condition. Such fibers are referred to in the claims as full length fibers.

The present articles of manufacture may be made from various kinds of fur including muskrat, beaver, nutria, cat, fox, racoon, badger, seal, and the fur of other fur bearing animals and may also be used to make slivers of asbestos, chicken down, duck down, or other types of down but is particularly adapted for making slivers of rabbit fur or down. It is also capable of making rovings from artificial and manufactured fibers. In connection with the use of the words rabbit fur it is to be understood that it includes rabbit hair referred to in the art as ,spikes, or

hares fur or hair or blends of these materials less than one and one-quarter inches in length. The present invention, therefore, produces a product which is a novel product in the art, namely, a sliveror roving of fur or the like in which the major portions of the fibers are shorter than one and one quarter inches in length. The

product comprising they present invention is a sliver or roving in which the individual fibers are undamaged and are substantially in the same condition as when fed to the sliver forming mechanism. The operation of the mechanism is to cause the fibers to be arranged substantially parallel to the length or axis of the roving or sliver with none of the shorter fibers being removed during the sliver forming operation, in other words, there is substantially no waste. The method may also be carried out to cause a slighthelicalfarrangement to the major portion of the fibers with the center of the helix parallel to the'axis of the sliver or roving or to cause only the fibers on the outside of the sliver or roving to be arranged in a helix with the fibers in the center of the roving extending substan- 1 tially in a straight line parallelto the axis of the sliver or roving. The helical arrangement of the outer fibers is very slight so that the pitch of the helix is relatively coarse.

It is to be understood that the articles of manufacture as herein disclosed may be made in many different ways and by many different types of mechanisms. The mechanism herewith dis- 1 closed is the same as that disclosed and claimed in my application for patent S. No. 340,505, filed June 12, 1940, of which this is a division.

What I claim is:

An article of manufacture comprising a sliver of fur fibers both long and short and with the fibers adjacent the core of the sliverextending substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the sliver, and with the fibers adjacent the exterior of the sliver being helically arranged, said sliver being composed solely of fur and void of a supporting thread core.

LOUIS P. MILLER.

CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION.

Patent No. 2,561,509.- October 214., 191414..

LOUIS P. MILLER.

It is hereby certified that error atpears in the'printed specification of the above numbered patent reqhiring correction as follows: Page. 5, first column, line 12, for-the serial number #5140505 read -5 40 ,050--;and that the said Letters Iatent should be reagi'with this correction therein that 7 the same may conform to the record, of the'case in the Patent Office.

Signed and' sealed, this. 6th day of February,- A. D. 19 .|.5.

Leslie Frazer (Seal) Acting Commissioner of Patents. 

